The Assembly Learning Grants and Loans (Higher Education) (Wales) (No.2) Regulations 2008 / Rheoliadau Grantiau a Benthyciadau Dysgu y Cynulliad (Addysg Uwch) (Cymru) (Rhif 2) 2008

Explanatory note

Reproduced verbatim from the instrument as published on legislation.gov.uk (Crown Copyright, Open Government Licence v3.0). The note is prepared by the responsible government department and is not part of the instrument itself.

These Regulations provide for financial support for students who are ordinarily resident in Wales taking designated higher education courses in respect of academic years beginning on or after 1 September 2009. They consolidate, with some changes, the Assembly Learning Grants and Loans (Higher Education) (Wales) Regulations 2008, as amended (“the 2008 Regulations”).

The Regulations revoke the 2008 Regulations. Regulation 3 sets out the extent of the revocation. Changes of substance made in these Regulations (other than rates of grants and loans) are highlighted below.

The distinction between old system eligible students and new system eligible students (introduced by the Assembly Learning Grants and Loans (Higher Education) (Wales) Regulations 2006) in relation to financial support to students for full-time courses is retained (regulation 2(1)).

Old system eligible students are eligible students attending courses that started before 1 September 2006 and gap-year students starting courses before 1 September 2007 and certain other categories of student. The following grants and loans are available to old system eligible students subject to the specified conditions —

Grant for fees (regulations 15 to 17);

Fee contribution loan (regulation 20);

Grant for disabled students' living costs (regulation 24);

Grant for dependants (regulations 25 to 30);

Grant for travel (regulations 31 to 33);

Higher education grant (regulation 35); and

Loans for living costs (Part 6).

A new system eligible student is an eligible student who started their course on or after 1 September 2006 and is continuing on that course after 31 August 2009, or starts their present course on or after 1 September 2009, and is not an old system eligible student. The following grants and loans are available to new system eligible students, subject to specified conditions —

New fee grant (regulation 18);

Fee loans (regulations 21 and 22);

Grant for disabled students' living costs (regulation 24);

Grant for dependants (regulations 25 to 30);

Grant for travel (regulations 31 to 33);

Maintenance grant (regulation 36);

Special support grant (regulation 37); and

Loans for living costs (Part 6).